


Extraction

by JadeSelena



Series: Dr. Jackson and Mr. Snide: 'missing' Vala/Daniel scenes [3]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:27:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23642341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeSelena/pseuds/JadeSelena
Summary: Missing/follow-up scene to Dominion to deal with all the Vala/Daniel stuff [in my head]. Daniel goes to check on Vala after the debrief. Hurt/comfort/friendship/angst follows canon (unfortunately) so no relationship.
Series: Dr. Jackson and Mr. Snide: 'missing' Vala/Daniel scenes [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1707295
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	Extraction

**Author's Note:**

> First off, I hope everyone is safe and healthy and staying sane in this trying new world in which we find ourselves. If fanfic is good for anything, it's a bit of escape :)
> 
> I thought this story was going to be super short but they wouldn't shut up and it ended up being super long and taking way more time than I'd intended. Speaking of time, whenever Vala is thinking/talking about hours I automatically think 'arn' and then have to fix it in my head - anyone else have that problem? lol
> 
> So this is my missing/followup scene from Dominion because there was just so much in that episode to unpack it could have been two episodes (the whole plan and then Adria's 'death'). And so much from prior episodes that never got addressed that I wanted/needed to. Doesn't veer off canon so no Vala/Daniel relationship (thinking of a follow-up to Continuum just so I can have some shippiness) but I hope it fits in with/doesn't mess with Unending which to be honest I still don't fully get just because Daniel's rant is so all over the place (and damn *harsh*) that it's hard for me to be happy with the resolution.
> 
> There are a few references to my previous stories One of Them and Memento Mortuorum but nothing that would lose you if you haven't read them.
> 
> And on with the show (which I don't own and always forget to mention)!

Vala sat with her back against the footboard, playing with the hair pins she'd pocketed before the surgery knowing they'd likely be the only thing she ever had of the child she'd never gotten to hold. Rubbed tiredly at her eyes to try to relieve the pressure that had become somewhat of a constant since Jacek's visit, symptomatic of the tears she refused to shed. She prided herself on being practical: her father a scoundrel so she shouldn't feel betrayed, her daughter the enemy so she shouldn't grieve, her life on Earth fortuitous so she shouldn't dread its inevitable conclusion. Why then was she overcome with _all_ of those, her chest tight and her heart heavy? Maybe Ba'al had been right and living amongst the Tau'ri had made her soft. Or maybe it was just too much all at once.

" _Vala_?"

At the faint voice and accompanying knock on the door, she added the bits of metal to the other trinkets and slid her 'treasure' box back under the bed. "Come in."

Daniel entered to find her getting up from the floor. "You okay?" Gone were the uniform and pigtails, replaced by yoga pants, camisole, and lone ponytail.

"Fine," she chirped, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why do you ask?"

Aside from the obvious reason she had _not_ to be? "You left the debriefing."

Vala gave a chiding click of the tongue. "I know your people are fickle, darling, but are they in the habit of randomly changing the meaning of words such as 'dismissed?'"

"Okay, yeah," Daniel reluctantly conceded. "But we were still talking." And she only ever left without him when she was upset, so…

She'd known exactly what he meant. "It's been a long week, Daniel." Month. _Year._

The simple statement was laced with defeat but her body language strongly discouraged any attempt to offer comfort. He stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Yeah – that's kinda what we were talking about. General Landry's giving us a bit of a vacation."

The last thing Vala needed right now was to be idle. "I'd prefer to keep working if it's all the same. I can join up with another team. Or help Dr. Lee in the laboratory with the cataloging."

As annoyed as Daniel was that Sam had predicted her response and he _hadn't_ , he was also grateful because it had allowed them to prepare accordingly. "It isn't optional. We're being kicked off base."

"Oh." Couldn't have asked for a clearer sign than that. "When?"

"Tonight." Before she could worry about where she would go he continued, "You're going to come home with me. We'll figure out some fun touristy things to do." Sam had offered to stay in town but he'd told her to go; it wasn't often she got to get away and he'd feel better keeping an eye on Vala himself right now anyway.

Welcome as that invitation normally _was…_ "Don't worry about me, Daniel. I think I'll ask Muscles to go with him."

Okay, now he _knew_ he wasn't imagining the recent cold front. "Vala, talk to me."

Kneeling to pull her duffle bags from under the bed, she was careful not to pull the treasure box with them. "What is there to talk about?"

Was she serious? "Uh… Let's start with why you're avoiding me, maybe?"

"If I were avoiding you, Daniel, I would have acted like I wasn't here as you've done to me." The bags landed on the comforter with a dull 'thud!' "Or is your issue that I'm not following you around like a peppy dog?"

Daniel blinked, too taken aback to even correct her. "Want to tell me again how there's nothing to talk about?"

"Mommy's little despot just assumed all the powers of the Ori," she recapped with a wave of the hand. "Apologies if I'm not feeling my usual amenable self."

Even if she hadn't just twenty minutes ago been the voice of (subdued) optimism… "You've been distant since we brought you back from that planet, I just didn't notice with everything else that was going on." Hadn't noticed _he_ was the one doing all the following.

Passing him to get to her dresser, she paused to give his chest a condescending tap. "Maybe I've been distant _because_ of everything that was going on."

Maybe, but this was feeling decidedly personal. And he could think of only one reason for it… "Vala, it was _your_ plan."

"And a bloody brilliant one, from what I gather. Would have worked perfectly had Ba'al not gone and mucked it all up." Adria would be corporeal and in their custody and it wouldn't have all been for nothing.

At a complete loss, he watched her go through her drawers. "Then what's the problem?"

"That you're presuming there's a problem?" she offered without turning.

"Please don't lie to me." If she wanted to act like she wasn't upset about Adria that was one thing, but if she was going to be upset with _him_ he at least deserved a chance to defend himself.

Technically it was a deflection, not a lie, but she doubted he'd care to see the distinction despite being the linguist. "I just need space, Daniel." She was struggling to keep her head above water and he made it really difficult for her to pretend she was succeeding.

"Space from me," he read between the lines, and still he was surprised when she didn't deny it. "I didn't even want to go along with your stupid plan!"

Vala spun, lips drawn into a pout. "Not stupid; _brilliant_. Everyone thinks so."

 _Including_ him; he just hadn't been sure it was worth messing with her head. "So let me get this straight: you're mad at me because I _didn't_ do something in a scenario that _didn't_ happen that you only _remember_ happening because you _insisted_ it happen." He ran it over in his mind, brow furrowed, before amending, "Not happen."

"I'm not angry with you, Daniel." She was assailed by a host of conflicting emotions – some of which she knew weren't entirely rational – but none of them were anger.

"Funny – that's not how it feels from where I'm standing." He stepped into her path as she went to pass him again. "And how come I'm the only one you're 'not angry' with?"

Vala looked up at him dispassionately. "Oh, I'm not all dovey-lovey about the others at the moment either, but my options are rather limited, aren't they?" And if he didn't understand by now _how_ he was different, he was the slowest genius she'd ever met.

" _Vala_ …" Taking her by the upper arms, he rubbed them to keep from squeezing in frustration. "We asked you if you were sure. You told us to _stop_ asking."

She would deny it but that definitely sounded like something she would do. "We needed to capture Adria."

"We could have found another way." The conversation was déjà vu, except for the tense.

Vala lifted an eyebrow. "Like we could have found another way to defeat the Ori?"

"That was different," he told her _again,_ releasing her _._ "There is no other Sangraal."

He wasn't wrong, but there weren't all that many ways to capture an Orici, either… "Besides, I probably expected you'd have me ousted from Stargate Command for being disruptive or disrespectful of authority or a dangerous – yet delightful – distraction to its personnel, male and female alike." The clothes she held prevented any wild gesturing so she gave her head a sassy toss instead.

Amusing as her rant was… "You knew it had to be believable." It was why she'd wanted nothing to do with the programming.

The eyebrow reappeared, disbelieving rather than challenging. "Are you saying I'm not a distraction, Daniel?"

"Well, Adria doesn't know you quite as well as I do," he justified with a placating smile. Apparently that wasn't the right answer, though, because her expression immediately fell. " _Hey_ …"

His fingers on her chin immobilized her, and before she could stop herself she'd let out a hoarse, "It was bad, Daniel." She knew she'd almost certainly known it would be, but she doubted she'd been prepared for just how bad it actually _was_.

If she was willing to admit to 'bad' Daniel suspected it had been far worse… Tilting her head up he forced her to meet his gaze; quietly promised, "It wasn't _real_."

"Oh, I beg to differ…" She backed out of his grasp and circled him to drop her burden into one of the bags. "It may not have really happened but it was all too real. Reynolds' face, raw with pain and anger, after he came down that ramp less two men because of me. It hasn't _stopped_ being real." She still saw it when she closed her eyes. Felt the hate in the pit of her stomach whenever he looked at her.

"I didn't mean it like that." And he _hadn't_ , but he also hadn't understood how deeply she was affected because she'd sworn she was fine and like an idiot he'd taken her at her word. Earlier in the week he'd snapped at her for bumping into him on their way to the commissary, and he realized now that it had been a reaction to Reynolds emerging from a doorway beside her. "You said…"

"Do you know that the history I share with him is as long as the one I share with you?" she interrupted with affected nonchalance. "Though certainly nowhere near as colorful. I took the liberty of running his men through some training exercises the day we first met."

Daniel was baffled, both by the segue and the revisionist history. "You took them all out _twice_ ; first to steal the Prometheus and then to steal the Al'kesh so you could escape punishment _for_ stealing the Prometheus." And she knew he knew because he was the one who told _her,_ when she'd noticed upon her arrival at the SGC that the colonel was more wary of her than most.

Vala preferred her version… "Regardless, I daresay they learned a valuable lesson in the perils of not keeping vigilant. Really shouldn't have taken them twice to get it, though…" Of course, in that instance the Tau'ri tendency towards slow learning had worked in her favor. "Anyway, he's forgiven me my little transgressions and we actually get on quite well now that we're on the same side and often teamed up."

And suddenly the trip down memory lane made sense: a set-up for the subtle rebuke. "Vala, you know that should have been an SG-1 mission." He sat on the bed next to where she was working; sighed when right away she moved around it to the bookshelf. "If it wasn't going to be us it had to be them."

He said that like she was meant to be grateful. "I don't understand why I had to be responsible for _anyone_ being killed, Daniel." He knew how she felt about that.

"Trust me, I didn't want to." Hated to put her through that again. "But it had to be something serious for the IOA to get involved."

" _Naturally_ ," she scoffed, throwing the books she'd selected onto her clothes. "And _why_ was it necessary for the IOA to be involved, might I ask?" It was like he'd been _aiming_ for the trifecta of her worst fears.

His gaze followed her around the room as she picked up various items. "Sam seemed pretty sure it was the only thing that would work."

 _Right:_ one of their geniuses actually lived up to the title and assumed Vala's mind would rebel against the thought of leaving him for anything less.

"Adria had to believe that we'd turned our backs on you," he added hurriedly, not wanting her to blame their friend. "That you were completely alone."

Vala let loose a sardonic snort. "Oh, there was no problem there."

"Vala, you know…" He trailed off before he could make the same mistake. "You know we would never actually let the IOA have you, right?"

Clearly she had doubts or there would have been a similar rebellion. "Even if you wouldn't _want_ to, Daniel, circumstances may dictate otherwise." She returned to the bed to deposit what she'd collected. "I said the same before they very nearly put you down for an eternal ice nap."

They'd never talked about that (or much of anything surrounding his foray into Priorism, really), and something in her tone told him they probably _should_ have… Standing to fill the area between the mattress and the table – to prevent her walking away again – he dropped his voice to a reassuring rumble. "That wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could do."

"That's the _point_ , Daniel." She busied herself with her bags because she wasn't so desperate as to climb over the bed. Yet. "It took two generals just to keep them from killing _you_ , one of the most valued members of Stargate Command. If you hadn't managed to free yourself the mission would've failed and they would've taken it as proof of your betrayal and justification for their decision." And she would've missed her opening to even _try_ to do something.

Daniel took the curlers from her and set them aside. "Vala…"

She gave up and turned to him. "I can't separate myself from the false memory, Daniel, because it could all too easily be reality. Only it _wouldn't_ be SG-3, and I wouldn't have the fun key powers of an old wizard or a conveniently accessible Sodan Cloak to save me." That was as close to the truth as she was willing to tread, the focus where she wanted it, and she punctuated the 'confession' with a tap to his cheek. "It's a good thing I have such low expectations of your people, by the way, because that 'escape' was ridiculously simple by anyone's standards."

"Okay…" Grabbing her wrist before she could retreat, he held it between them and lifted a finger. "I was _literally_ the enemy." Lifted another. "You wouldn't have Merlin's _funky_ – one word – powers, but you _would_ have the powers of those same two old-ish generals." And another. "If it ever came down to it, it _would_ be that simple."

Vala's curiosity was piqued as she reclaimed her hand. "How do you mean?"

Daniel sat and moved a bag aside to make space for her. "Well, there's no love lost between either of them and the IOA to start. And General Landry's been especially protective of you since Jacek's visit so I can't imagine he'd take too kindly to their interference." Their CO hadn't approved of the plan any more than Daniel had. "Jack doesn't know you very well but you're part of the team. Plus he likes having you around to drive me crazy since he can't."

As resentful as she'd been of the general's not-so-subtle projection of his own issues with Carolyn, Vala could appreciate even then that his intentions were good. If only Jacek had been _deserving_ of a champion… "While I'm happy to have sufficiently carried on Jack's legacy," she teased, sitting beside him, "I was actually asking what you'd meant about the escape."

Oh, she'd created a legacy of torment _all her own_ … "After the whole Prior thing I realized the IOA had the potential to become more of a problem than usual, so Sam and I put together a couple of extraction plans. Just in case." Noting her surprise, he gave her a teasing smile of his own. "How do you think we came up with that scenario so quickly?"

Vala refrained from pointing out that she wouldn't know how quickly they'd come up with it because she didn't _remember_ that part. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Daniel shrugged. "Because it's only a precaution and I didn't want to worry you for nothing." Or give her reason to _run_. "Why didn't you tell me you'd realized it yourself?"

"Oh, Daniel," she tsked, getting up to resume packing (and put some distance between them). "If I were overly concerned by the looming threat of imprisonment I would have switched careers long ago. Besides, I suspect your Area 51 would be one of the more comfortable prisons I've had the displeasure of occupying. And I've occupied _many_ , albeit for much shorter stays than was intended." It was only partly bravado; as touched as she was by the measures her friends had taken to protect her, it really _wasn't_ the prospect of being locked away that had been keeping her up at night.

"First of all, it's not _my_ Area 51. I'm not even military." He softened his tone. "And second, your professed desensitization to the prison experience _aside_ , you're never going to find out how it compares."

She didn't know what to say, the vow earnest yet wholly unnecessary, so she briefly put a hand to his cheek instead.

Her smile was muted. Forced, like she humoring him. "I'm serious, Vala. Ask Sam. Or one of the others we enlisted."

The pressure behind her eyes got stronger. "I believe you, Daniel." It just didn't matter.

Daniel got the distinct impression he was missing something, and he looked from her studied expression to the items she'd gathered – not all of which were required for a short trip, he realized – and back again, chest heavy with understanding. "You don't want to go with Teal'c because he's the one you're least mad at; you want to go with Teal'c because he's the one going off-world."

How could he possibly be so blind to her feelings and yet so perceptive about literally _anything else_? Deciding it had to be willful ignorance so he wouldn't have to deal with it, she buried that pain along with the rest. "I told you I'm not angry, Daniel."

"That isn't a denial, _Vala,_ " he declared tightly, standing. "And yet I'm not hearing an explanation. If it isn't the IOA…"

Sighing in resignation, she put up a hand to silence him. "I've already proven a risk to your planet's security and its people, Daniel; the IOA just doesn't know about it. If I do have to be 'extracted,' the damage will have been done and someone will have been hurt." Or _worse_. At the time she'd been grateful Cameron had decided to keep the source of her dream out of the official report to 'save them the hassle,' if only because she couldn't leave without knowing of Daniel's fate, but now… "Now that Adria benefits directly from the spread of Origin she'll be even more determined to eliminate anyone who gets in her way. Unlike me, and unfortunately for _us_ , all of her non-physical attributes were inherited from her 'father.' Including a single-minded lust for power." Her mother's lusts – while just as strong – tended to lean more towards the tangible.

Daniel studied her a few seconds before concluding that, despite the dark joke, he was finally getting the truth. "See? This is why your brilliant plan was actually _stupid_. I knew the memories were going to mess you up. But _noooo_ … no one listens to Daniel…" Taking her by the arm, he began to pull her towards the door. "Come on – we're getting Sam to reverse the process before she leaves." It had been too complicated and time-consuming to be a priority with her daughter in Ba'al's custody and her leading them to believe she was fine, but those things no longer applied.

"Daniel, _stop_." She dug in her heels and pried him off, faintly aware of the ache where his fingers had been. "It isn't the memories." Not _those_ ones, anyway. "My dream delivered you to Adria. If she'd killed you it would have been my fault."

"No, it would be _her_ fault," he disputed without reservation, wondering why this hadn't come up months ago. "Vala, you have to stop blaming yourself for everything she does."

While normally she could at least _somewhat_ see where he was coming from… "This is different, Daniel. I was _directly_ involved; if not for my participation we wouldn't have fallen into her trap and she wouldn't have gotten a hold of you."

Daniel shook his head. " _Unwitting_ participation. And if it had taken us any longer to find him, Merlin may have been too far gone to help us build the Sangraal." It's what they did: took shitty situations and worked them to their advantage.

"We were lucky." They'd gotten him back and she could finally _breathe_ again. "And I thought that if we could just capture Adria I could stop expecting there to be a next time where we _wouldn't_ be." Done her best not to dwell on what that would mean for her daughter.

"That's why you were so adamant about the plan." And they'd inadvertently made her 'live' out all the things she'd been most afraid of…

"I'd hoped to take her with us from the Ori ship but Jack was a little too quick on the trigger. Which was surprising because I've heard only good things about him." She gave him a pert wink so there was no mistaking her meaning.

Daniel cringed but said nothing, realizing that was why she'd been so dejected and uncharacteristically negative aboard the Odyssey despite their (presumed) victory against the Ori. He'd meant to press her on it once they were alone (and he was a little more lucid), but then the warships came through the gate and he'd forgotten.

"Anyway, I've been searching for some other means since. If only I'd remembered sooner, Cameron telling me about the device when I'd lost my memory and he was trying to convince me he was a good guy." One more regret to add to the list.

Right – the seedy motel room. "Yeah, well – something tells me you weren't paying all that much attention to what he was saying at the time."

The implication she'd been distracted didn't faze her, long accustomed to him assuming the worst. As far as his judgments went, this one was nowhere near as damning as accusing her of intentionally getting a cheap ship with the entire crew of the Odyssey's lives in danger. "If you're referring to Cameron's state of undress, I assure you it was necessary given the circumstances. I was a bit more concerned with why everyone was after me." She'd forgotten about the device because she'd dismissed its existence outright; deemed it a blatant ploy to get her to surrender quietly.

He'd actually been referring to her lack of attention in general and aversion to trust in specific, but he couldn't let that flimsy excuse pass without a raised eyebrow and pointed, "He was shot in the arm _. Barely._ Now I'm no medical doctor, but taking off someone's pants to treat an arm wound seems like a strange approach." It wouldn't even be the first time she'd gone out of her way to see their team leader half-naked.

The necessity had been in keeping the much stronger man feeling vulnerable and slow him down should he manage to get free, but she doubted Daniel would believe that even if she cared to enlighten him, which she most definitely _did not_. On the contrary, he really should know by now that attempting to call her on some (perceived) falsehood only served to encourage her… "I take my duties as a nurse _very_ seriously, Daniel," she defended, her face the very picture of innocence. "Obviously I had to assess whether or not he'd sustained any other injuries."

"Right – like you take _anything_ very seriously." The comment didn't even make sense, especially considering the conversation they'd just veered from, but he hadn't been able to help himself – it irritated the hell out of him that she insisted on playing these games instead of just admitting what they both knew to be true.

Clearly he hadn't been lying when he'd sniped that she didn't want him to start saying what he meant… "Careful, darling," she advised flatly, "You're going to make me think you're jealous."

" _Not bloody likely_ ," he immediately scoffed, mimicking her. "You want Mitchell, go for it. He probably won't be as easy to win over as his parents, though – you're a lot more charming in small doses."

Vala stared at him, tongue pressed into her teeth, until she was confident her voice wouldn't betray her. "You might want to stick to languages, Daniel, because your talent certainly doesn't lie in accents. Or in detecting sarcasm, it would seem." 'Jealous' would require him to feel something other than disdain, and while most of the time he was rather capable of hiding it…

As soon as he'd heard it come out of his mouth he'd regretted it – regretted letting her _bait_ him – but he didn't know how to take it back without her choosing to interpret it as him taking back the denial and starting it up all over again. "Look – can we just get back to the part about you leaving?"

Laughing bitterly under her breath, she left him to start collecting the items that would have given away her real intentions. "Oh, I think we're done, Daniel." She was well aware she could be annoying, did it to get his attention more often than not, but why he consistently felt the need to bring a gun to a knife match she would never understand. "Don't worry – if I ever decide to visit I'll be sure to make it short. Keep it to 'small doses,' as it were."

"Jesus, Vala," he huffed, more upset with himself than with her, "If I meant that I wouldn't be standing here." She just got under his skin in a way no one else ever had. Not even Jack.

He was standing there because he'd long ago been designated her keeper and his sense of responsibility remained even though her need for one _didn't_. She'd be a fool to believe otherwise. "It's fine, Daniel." Sadly, she was used to it.

Daniel closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm just…" Taking a deep breath, he opened them again and held out his hands in surrender. "I don't even know what's going on right now. Less than an hour ago you were saying we'd bought ourselves some time and now you're ready to catch the next wormhole out of here."

"Yes, well, given the opportunity I thought it best to avoid _delightful_ conversations such as this one." The retort lacked bite, and she told herself it was because the last few minutes had drained what remained of her energy and _not_ because she'd been affected by the pitiful act. "Besides, Adria isn't likely to warn us that she's back in form; the longer I stay the greater the risk."

They would have to come back to the Adria thing because he was still processing the avoiding conversations thing. "So what? You were just going to split from Teal'c and let us think something happened to you when you didn't report back?"

Pulling more clothes from the dresser, she began to wrap her more fragile possessions. "Of course not. I would have told him once we were off-world." The goal was to protect them, not worry them, and she trusted her fellow 'alien' to understand that and respect her wishes. "You all would have gotten the message upon his return." Maybe letters for him and the general and a few others; the plan had formed so suddenly she hadn't quite figured out all the details yet.

 _The message._ It was like a punch to the gut; proof he was no more than a convenient source of amusement (and money). "Vala, you're overreacting. You don't know…"

" _Don't_." Rounding on him, she brandished the statuette she was holding. "Don't tell me I'm overreacting. _Months_ I didn't know if you were alive. And if you _were_ , what was being done to you." _Still_ didn't, and wasn't sure she ever wanted to.

"Yeah, no," Daniel deadpanned, perching on the footboard, legs outstretched and arms crossed. "I have no idea what that's like." Not like she'd disappeared into an unstable wormhole or anything.

"Because of _me_ , Daniel." They'd already covered that bit.

He tilted his head and gave a slight lift of his shoulders. "Eh." If he hadn't been ignoring her she might have had enough time to ring back or one of their people would have gone instead; she wouldn't have been sent to the Ori galaxy, impregnated against her will, or spent almost a year in constant fear for her life… She didn't have the market cornered on guilt.

The circumstances weren't even remotely similar – in involvement _or_ investment – but she didn't want to put that out there any more than he wanted to hear it… Deflating, she turned back to her wrapping. "Well, I'm not willing to take the chance it happens again with a different outcome. Especially not now that Adria can apparently plant thoughts directly into my head and just take complete control of my body if she so chooses."

Daniel straightened, eyes narrowing. "Is that why you've been so interested in ascension lately?" His tone carried an edge, angry at having been pumped for the information she would use as justification for running.

Vala turned at the allegation. "Oh, Gods, no. Unlike the IOA eventually trying to have one of us killed – though I really did think it would be me, owing to my 'misunderstanding' with the disagreeable little man and that whole 'mother of the Orici' quibble – I absolutely did _not_ see that coming." All the ways she'd prepared herself for their war with Adria to end, that hadn't even been a consideration. "No. Though it _has_ proven regretfully relevant, after hearing you with Merlin I just wanted to know more." She'd wanted to know more after Atlantis but had deemed it too sensitive a subject then. And while she made it a general rule not to inquire into people's pasts, and Daniel wasn't one to volunteer information unless it directly related to the situation at hand, he also didn't share her reticence to answering if he _was_ asked. On the contrary, he was often content telling stories – _happy_ even – and she was just as content to raptly listen to him. Probably why it was then that they got along best, to be honest.

Her shock seemed genuine so he let it go. "Well, if you were _paying attention_ then you'd know she can do that to any one of us." It certainly wasn't a reason to go AWOL.

He just couldn't help himself with the veiled insults, could he? Leaning back against the dresser, she tilted her head as though addressing a small child. "Yes, _Daniel_ , but there's a connection there that she's already made use of. You can't honestly say she wouldn't have an easier go of it with me."

"Vala, listen to me." He crossed the room, coming to a stop just in front of her. "She did that _once_ , not to hurt us but to get to the Sangraal. There is no doubt in my mind, or in any of the others,' I don't think, that the _safest_ place from Adria is with you."

Craning her neck to look up at him, Vala wondered at his recent (and confounding) disregard for personal space. "Then you're _all_ delusional. If you hadn't stopped her on that creepy planet she would have killed us all, _including_ me." Thankfully the crossing of her arms passed as defiance and _not_ the denial of the urge to touch him that it was.

Daniel shook his head. "She did it because she _knew_ I'd stop her; to weaken me. If she'd wanted us dead she could have let Cam blow us all up at Dakara and saved herself a shipload of trouble."

"No, she couldn't," Vala disputed, "She had plans for you." She could still remember the shiver gone down her spine at her daughter's sinister promise.

"She could have killed the others. She could have let the _dragon_ kill them." That still felt weird to reference aloud. "Both times she could have used her personal shield for just us and let them die but she chose to save everyone. Because it's what _you_ would want."

Vala scoffed. "That's a very generous interpretation, Daniel. If she cared about what _I_ want she wouldn't be massacring countless innocents in her quest for absolute dominion."

"And you're oversimplifying it," he countered, catching her elbow when she tried to sidestep him. "How else do you explain that she never targeted Earth even though she didn't hesitate to destroy Dakara? Never had her ships seek out and destroy ours even though we're vastly outnumbered and outgunned?" Eyes boring into hers, he willed her to see it. "Everything she's done to us has been, for lack of a better term, defensive. I think she knew there was a line with you – a point of no return – and she didn't want to cross it." Even capturing him had been primarily to prevent SG-1 from using the Sangraal against the Ori.

There was even less space between them now that she was on her feet, and it had gone from confounding to bordering on unkind. It took all her willpower to keep her gaze from drifting to his mouth. "Yes, well, that was before I'd lured her into a trap, attempted to suppress her with a Tok'ra, and consented to her being euthanized." Candidate for 'Mother of the Year' she was not.

" _No_ …" He squeezed her arm – an unspoken ' _Stay'_ – then let go. "She didn't need me anymore; the only reason she would toss me out of the infirmary instead of reward my betrayal with a broken neck was you." He didn't believe Adria had meant to kill him with the coolant, either; just keep them preoccupied long enough to ascend.

Vala had her own theories on that one but it really didn't matter _why_ her daughter had spared him, only that she had. "Even if you're right, Daniel, I tried to pull that trigger. Whatever goodwill my title afforded me was surely exhausted when I showed myself willing to murder her by my own hand rather than simply stand by and allow it to happen." Adria had wondered if she'd be able to do it; Vala hadn't been entirely certain either, until his life had been in danger.

"You said she could have killed you before she ascended," he gently reminded her. " _After_ you tried to pull the trigger."

Out of arguments, Vala screwed her eyes shut. " _Daniel_ …" She knew he was just trying to make his point but he was not helping her (struggling) efforts to remain detached.

He put his fingertips to her jaw and waited until she refocused on him. "You're right that there's a connection, but it's one that's only ever worked in our favor." His lips morphed into a teasing smile. "And you're _wrong_ about who she takes after. That feistiness can only come from you."

 _Definitely_ not helping…

Undeterred by the glower he was receiving, he went down the list. "She also got your stubbornness and your determination…"

Vala rolled her eyes. "Those are hardly _good_ things, Daniel."

"They kept her from giving up on you," he shrugged, then resumed as though she hadn't interrupted. "Then there's the overconfidence and narcissism. But those could go either way, really."

"Okay – you can stop now." If he was trying to make her feel better he was failing miserably, her composure hanging on by the barest of threads despite the attempt at levity.

"You're not just a challenge to her, Vala," he finished quietly. "She loves you. As much as she's capable, at least. I saw it when I was with her." Because while Adria had _also_ inherited her mother's compulsion to hide those pesky human emotions, rapid aging and lack of adversity meant she was missing the experience to do so effectively.

The declaration caught Vala off guard, and almost immediately her vision blurred and her throat tightened. "Then why wasn't I able to save her, Daniel?"

As much as Daniel hated the hiding, the whispered plea was distinctly more painful to witness… "Because she was created by powerful, unscrupulous ascended beings," he whispered back. "And flawless impersonation of a god and many – largely dubious – talents aside…" Cupping her cheeks, he cleared the tears first from one, then the other, with the pads of his thumbs. "…You are still just a mortal."

Vala wrapped her hands around his wrists but couldn't bring herself to push him away. Wondered if that had even been her intention… "Mortal or not," she argued hoarsely, "Maybe if I'd stayed with her I could have…"

"Vala, _don't_." He wiped away the fresh tracks then pulled her into a hug. "If you'd stayed she would have taken it as endorsement and there would have been no line for her to be afraid _to_ cross. You being firmly on our side of it is what kept her in check and gave us a fighting chance."

It seemed now there were two _different_ lines but she was too weary to question it. "I don't know, Daniel." She wanted nothing more than to believe him but she suspected there would always be a nagging doubt she could have done more.

"Well, I _do_ ," he promised, rubbing soothing circles on her back as she (finally) let her head settle onto his shoulder. "And you know what else I know?"

Vala snorted into his shirt. "To hear you tell it: _everything_." Sadly, his superior intelligence and vast expanse of uninteresting (and often useless) knowledge was one of the things she found most attractive about him.

He gave her an admonishing pinch even as he smiled into her hair. "I know that the Ori screwed up _big_ when they picked you. I only wish I could have been there to see them realize it." Liked to imagine it was their last fervent regret as they'd died, actually.

Opening her eyes, she grudgingly withdrew from his arms before comfort could evolve into hope. "Serves them right for getting all cheeky instead of having some eager disciple bear their spawn, doesn't it?"

Daniel could practically see the wall go back up in the space she'd put between them; hear it in the glib remark. Hoping he'd gotten through to her before it _had_ , he followed her lead with a smirked, "If they'd just asked for a character reference I could have warned them you were one of the most obstinate, unmanageable, _relentless_ women our galaxy had to offer."

He sounded almost proud, in stark contrast to his earlier contempt, and trying to make sense of his mood swings was about as productive as trying to dissuade _herself_ her misguided feelings… Pressing her fingers to his jaw – genuine affection masquerading as condescension – she pursed her lips in mock-offense. "You really know how to flatter a girl, darling."

"It's easy when it's true," he quipped, then got serious again, hands sliding into his pockets. "And you're not thinking about the silver lining here."

The moment was gone – the spell broken – and as she reclaimed her hand Vala berated herself for not just taking advantage of it while it lasted and dealing with the consequences later. "I assume you're about to enlighten me as to what I'm missing." She failed to see how _anything_ good could come of this. And that wasn't even getting into the ridiculousness of the Tau'ri phrase itself, because she certainly didn't consider silver, much less something silver _lined_ , to be of any great value.

Daniel rocked back on his heels; stated simply, "Adria is Ascended."

Once she'd processed that he had _in fact_ said that, she squinted at him, equal parts disbelief and concern. "Have you gone _all_ the way wonko, Daniel?" She knew she was exhausted but she couldn't possibly have _dreamt_ the entire last half hour.

Okay, so sometimes he enjoyed a little revenge button-pushing… "Which _means_ ," he translated, chuckling at her scandalized expression, "That if she does get out of hand the Ancients have no excuse not to get involved."

Vala studied him a second. "Do you really believe that?" He'd been so disillusioned by them already that she would hate for him to get his hopes up only to be let down again.

Her skepticism was palpable (and not unwarranted) so he bobbled his head to acknowledge it. "Morgan Le Fay and those like her, at least." He didn't have much faith in the others.

If he believed then _she_ did, but still she had to ask: "Do you think that will be enough?" A few rogue Ancients were hardly a match for all the powers of the Ori.

Daniel couldn't truthfully say 'yes' but it was the best they had. "We'll make it work like we always do. And until then we deal with the Priors and their armies and with any luck find a way to _make_ it be enough." After a beat he shrugged, "I'm sure it'd be a lot easier with the mother of the Orici in our corner, though."

Vala rolled her eyes at the obvious manipulation. " _Daniel_ …"

"What?" he grinned innocently. "I'm giving you an out now that I've proven your entire reason for leaving flawed."

Yes, well, fear wasn't always logical. Besides: "Flawed is not _wrong._ If there's even the slightest chance…"

His grin faded, her stubbornness not so endearing when directed at _him_. "Yeah? And what's the chance of SG-1 finding something useful only for Adria to show up and kill us because you're not there to stop her?" He felt bad for her flinch but continued nonetheless, though he did lose the harsh tone. "Vala, you know if not for the anti-Prior device she would have killed us when we met you on that planet, under the assumption our 'betrayal' untied her hands." In no small part to protect and/or avenge her mother, he suspected, but that little detail would detract from his argument so he left it out.

Vala stared at him, lip caught between her teeth.

"I know you know I'm right," Daniel pressed wryly, "So I'm thinking you just like making me beg." _Also_ not the first time…

Was _that_ what he considered begging? Telling her she was being unreasonable and listing all of her negative attributes? "If that were the case, Daniel, I wouldn't have concealed the fact that I wasn't coming back." Maybe she was hesitating because she'd sensed she was wearing out her welcome – _again_ – and this had also served as an excuse to extract _herself_ before they could have a repeat of the Prometheus. Because doing it to save him was the only way she could bring herself to _leave_ him, no matter what staying did to _her_ … She really didn't know anymore.

The reminder that she hadn't intended to tell him stung but he ignored it. "Then what's the problem?"

Shaking her head to dispel that train of thought, Vala forced a smile. "There's no problem." Of course she was glad to have reason to stay; hadn't really wanted to give up her new home and friends and find a way to fight Origin on her own. She would manage the rest just as she always did. "You're right – I was overreacting."

"See?" He pushed past the relief to chastise, "If you'd just talked to me when I got back we could have dealt with this months ago."

Much of his 'supporting evidence' hadn't happened yet but she was too tired to argue. "I'm not good at talking, Daniel."

Daniel cocked an eyebrow.

"Not _that_ kind, anyway." The 'laying bare your weaknesses and leaving yourself thoroughly exposed' kind.

"Look, I know you're used to having to go it alone but you're _not_ anymore." His tone went from gently admonishing to mildly annoyed. "In fact, you'd save us both a lot of grief if you'd just be honest with me."

"Hmm," Vala hummed, head tilted. "I'm not familiar with the concept; must be one of your strange Earth customs."

Daniel rolled his eyes at the clueless act. "Vala, I'm not a mind reader. And I'm a guy, so ninety-nine percent of the time you tell me you're fine, I'm going to believe you."

He really didn't seem to grasp that he was _meant_ to believe her. _One hundred_ percent of the time, actually. Because in her experience being honest only _invited_ pain, as evidenced by the wet spot still decorating his shirt. And if his rampant disgust at the mere suggestion he was jealous was anything to go by…

Apparently honesty was too much to hope for… "Can you at least promise not to lie if I ask you outright? Or make me dig for the truth like I'm back on an archaeological site?"

"I was trying to be helpful," she shrugged, suppressing a mischievous grin. "Thought you might miss it."

His chin briefly met his chest. " _Vala_ …"

" _Fine_." It seemed a fair – and safe – compromise. One that would rarely come into play, knowing him. "Okay."

Daniel took her face in his hand; squinted suspiciously. "I didn't hear a promise in there."

"I said 'okay,' Daniel." _Really_ , he acted as though she were untrustworthy or something…

"Okay," he parroted, accepting that was the best he was going to get. He would just have to make it a point to pay closer attention. "Now are you sure you don't want to get Sam to do the procedure before she leaves? I'm sure she wouldn't mind." If she knew what was going on she'd probably insist, actually.

Vala shook her head, dislodging him. "She may not but I'm sure a certain general _would,_ and I have to stay on his good side in case I ever need his intervention, remember?"

"It won't come to that, _remember_?" He wouldn't even bother to question how she'd guessed what their friends would be up to. "Besides, he deserves it for all the crap he's put me through." This wouldn't even close to make up for that stupid _Wormhole X-Treme_ script reading thing.

"Why, _Daniel_ ," she practically purred, "Are you using me to exact your petty revenge?" She loved it when he got all naughty.

 _Of course_ she would wholeheartedly approve… "The petty revenge is just a bonus. It wouldn't be much of a vacation if you were thinking about Reynolds' men and the IOA the whole time; it's supposed to be relaxing." If only keeping her from thinking about Adria were that simple.

Vala lifted her brow in challenge. "Does that mean you won't be taking any work home with you?"

"Depends on if I'm going to be playing tour guide or not," he volleyed back, matching eyebrow in place.

"Hmm." Putting a hand to his chest, she clucked her tongue in feigned disappointment. "I see that once again it falls to me to save you from yourself…"

Daniel gaped at her, unable to fathom the complete and utter _nerve._

 _Too easy…_ "We should set some time aside from touring for me to teach you the finer points of humor, darling." She moved the hand to his cheek; winked, "It might save us both a lot of grief."

Obstinate, unmanageable, relentless and _exasperating_ … Careful to avoid a misunderstanding (and a repeat of earlier), he gave her a warm smile. "I swear, I deserve a medal for not strangling you out of sheer frustration."

That was practically an engraved invitation and he _really_ should have known better… "Well, I don't have any medals lying around…" She made a show of scanning her quarters, then turned back to him with a suggestive smirk. "But I'd be happy to find some other means to reward you your restraint."

Daniel groaned, as much at the innuendo as at himself for setting it up. "I'm going to go find Sam." Covering her hand with his own, he gave it a squeeze before bringing it down between them and releasing. "You finish packing – for a _week_ , not for forever – and leave behind anything you'd think to use to 'reward' me."

"Even the items purchased with your credit cards?" Vala posed cheekily. "It's only fair you should derive _some_ benefit from them, Daniel." They had been purchased with him in mind, after all.

"No," he replied shortly, heading for the door. "I doubt it would all fit in your bags, anyway." No one could ever accuse her of not _spending_ like the proverbial Earth woman…

Paying his lack of enthusiasm no mind, she grinned at his retreating back. "But if you're not in the least bit tempted, what's the harm in me bringing them?"

Daniel left the room without dignifying that with a response save a dismissive wave over his shoulder.

As the door clicked shut behind him Vala turned to her audience of stuffed animals; shrugged, "I thought it was a valid question…"

**Author's Note:**

> I had some issues with this because I don't really like nasty Daniel but it's a fact of life and half of what keeps these two from getting it together IMO It's a vicious cycle: he doesn't take her seriously and so stays so very deeply in denial, which in turn makes him act in ways that keeps her clueless and closed off and not *acting* seriously about him and so he thinks she's messing with him and he gets grumpy about it and so on and so forth and these crazy kids ;)
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and weren't too turned off by either the nastiness or the more sugary ending.


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